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  • HMSA Rates Going Up Again

    It seems their million dollar bonuses weren't enough for them.
    Rates going up again.
    I wonder why they don't stop giving bonuses and lower the rates????
    With the way things are now many of us are having to cut back to survive.
    I'm sure for some it's between food or bills.
    And hmsa is just looking for any excuse to get rid of older people.
    Why won't hmsa do the right thing and help everyone by forgo bonuses and lower rates??????
    I thought a non-profit company was supose to be non-profit????
    With some making millions of dollars a year, someone is making way more profit than anyone deserves.
    Anyone remember if hmsa EVER lowered rates???????

    I've heard all the horror stories about social medicine, but something is better than nothing.

  • #2
    Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

    ????? Where did you hear about HMSA paying out bonuses like that? As for the rate increase (at least the next one coming in January), I believe it's to hit only large companies with their group plans. I didn't read that it was increasing individual plans, only large group plans.

    As for getting rid of seniors - I'm a senior and have full coverage thru my employer. The only thing that HMSA has been doing with me is trying to coordinate medicare with HMSA plan so everything gets paid for.

    and it's socialIZED medicine - which I'm basically in favor of.
    "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
    – Sydney J. Harris

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    • #3
      Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

      Originally posted by anapuni808 View Post
      ????? Where did you hear about HMSA paying out bonuses like that? /snip.
      http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/pa...703200335.html

      Not a million dollar bonus as far as I could tell. In 2007, $497,117 bonus plus $620,000 salary - $1.1 million for HMSA president and CEO.

      http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacif...l?jst=cn_cn_lk

      Hiam got $503,000 bonus in 2008 giving him a total compensation of $1.16 million.

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      • #4
        Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

        thanks for doing the research Adri.

        I think the following from the same Pacific Busness News article are postives for HMSA. They seem to be trying to do better:

        "HMSA reported $1.65 billion in total dues revenue in 2007, and paid out $1.55 billion in benefit expenses and health-care services. The health plan said it held the line on operating expenses last year, which totaled $158.47 million, a slight dip from $158.52 million in 2006. It said a large portion of those expenses were spent on a multiyear project to replace its core information technology system.

        HMSA Chief Financial Officer Steve Van Ribbink said the year's shortfall was a result of its efforts to increase hospital and physician reimbursements."

        I'm very happy with my coverage and if they feel they have to pay bonuses to keep top employees, then they have the right to do so. If it was taxpayer $$$ or bailout monies - well thats a different story altogether. Much of what HMSA reports as "losses" are the result of accounting entries anyway, such as depreciation, amortization etc. and that is common to any business. I'd be interested in their numbers BEFORE the adjusting entries were made.
        Last edited by anapuni808; November 14, 2009, 05:31 PM.
        "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
        – Sydney J. Harris

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        • #5
          Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

          I just got, in the mail, a notice of rate increse.
          Being retired and having hmsa through your insurer is great for you.
          But many people do not have that luxury.
          Seniors on a fixed income are the ones who will be hit the hardest.
          Miss one payment and I can grantee they'll be dropped.
          Those who have retirement paid health insurance just don't realize how much it cost.
          I'm not sure I'll be able to afford it.

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          • #6
            Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

            I'm not retired - don't think I'll ever be able to afford to really "retire". My insurance coverage is through my employer. Sorry to hear that the individual plans are getting an increase - that was not something that I had heard about or read about.

            Since I don't know what your individual situation is, I can't offer any advice. Sorry to not be able to be helpful.
            "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
            – Sydney J. Harris

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

              I just don't get it. Regardless of the industry, I don't understand why executives are entitled to mega bonuses when there are operating losses and customers have to pay more for the product each year. Screw the comparable pay issue. I do understand that comparables are necessary to attract talented execs. It's the entire system that's a mess. If someone can't live in Hawaii on a $620,000./yr. salary, something's really, really wrong. And, no, I don't know what to do about it except complain!

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              • #8
                Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

                Ah, NOW I understand why HMSA has been so insistent on the radio lately; they raise the rates, then the open enrollment comes around, then they lose membership......

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

                  Originally posted by abunaitoo View Post
                  [...]
                  Seniors on a fixed income are the ones who will be hit the hardest.[...]
                  By "seniors" do you mean those 65 and over? If so, other Medicare insurers become a more affordable option. For as many years as I had an HMSA policy and considering how happy I was with it, I was disappointed that it's Medicare coverage (65C) is $200/month more, for similar coverage, than what I opted for. It just wasn't financially feasible to stay with HMSA. That said, there's a Medicare thread here.

                  ETA: I had HMSA's small business plan from approx. 1984 until 9/1/09. It started out at $115/mo. (& also included my 2 kids!). This year I was paying $324./mo. for just me. I'm currently paying $96.40/mo. for Medicare and I'm not retired. Like anapuni, complete retirement may not be an option.
                  Last edited by tutusue; November 14, 2009, 08:42 PM.

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                  • #10
                    Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

                    There are Airline CEO's who have forgone their own salary's for 6 months to a year or more to help get their companies back in better shape financially. But usually those CEO's make several MILLION dollars a year. Remember when you make that much money you pay a TON of money in taxes.

                    When I was on the mainland this summer, I came back and received a letter from HMSA thanking us for all of the years we have had them, I didn't understand what it was about, then I read further. We found out from further reading and a follow up phone call that after 50 some years HMSA was being dropped by the DOE because of rising health care costs, so they switched all of us to something else, without really giving us much alternatives. Worse yet I found out we had no choice and we were locked into the new provider, I was not happy at all. Then because of a rise in complaints around a month or so later I received a letter saying we had the option (which you dont usually get during non open enrollment time periods) to leave what we had and return to HMSA which we did.

                    I think we pay for a family plan over $200 a month, it is harsh that the costs are rising for this and other things we HAVE to pay for like utilities, i.e. HECO, Water, etc. when it's not like any of us are getting more money to help offset these costs in this dire economy. While it is true there have been salary increases for the DOE because of past contract negotations, our health care premiums keep going up so who is really benefiting from this other than the insurance companies?

                    Disclosure: I'm not a DOE employee, but my wife is.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

                      Originally posted by Kalihiboy View Post
                      I think we pay for a family plan over $200 a month, it is harsh that the costs are rising for this and other things we HAVE to pay for like utilities, i.e. HECO, Water, etc. when it's not like any of us are getting more money to help offset these costs in this dire economy. While it is true there have been salary increases for the DOE because of past contract negotations, our health care premiums keep going up so who is really benefiting from this other than the insurance companies?

                      Disclosure: I'm not a DOE employee, but my wife is.
                      Are you sure you pay only $200 a month for the family plan? I mentioned in another post (pet peeve thread) I'd have to pay $374.84/month for the single plan. My coworker has to pay $1,160.00 a month for the family plan with HMSA, and another coworker pays even more for her family plan with Kaiser.

                      Originally posted by Sharilyn View Post
                      We are having open enrollment for our medical plans. If I'm figuring this out right, I'd have to pay $374.84 a month for the self-only plan. That includes everything: medical, dental, drug and vision. I decided to sign up for only the medical and dental, which will come out to $309.94 a month. I'm due to get my vision checked and new glasses next year, but I'm going to delay it another 18 mos. I don't take any meds, so unless I get sick or something happens, I won't need the drug plan.

                      My husband's company pays for his medical. I keep telling him how lucky he is!
                      Originally posted by Sharilyn View Post
                      If I wanted to be covered under my husband's plan, he'd have to enroll in a family plan. Their family plan costs more than what I'd be paying in my self-only plan, so it's not worth it.

                      My coworker was moaning because she has to pay $1,160.00 a month premium for the family plan. I don't know how parents manage nowadays.

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                      • #12
                        Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

                        Originally posted by Sharilyn View Post
                        Are you sure you pay only $200 a month for the family plan? I mentioned in another post (pet peeve thread) I'd have to pay $374.84/month for the single plan. My coworker has to pay $1,160.00 a month for the family plan with HMSA, and another coworker pays even more for her family plan with Kaiser.
                        $1,160 a MONTH??? You got to be kidding!! As for my $200 a month figure it was a rough estimate and forgive me but right now I'm looking at a July 2009 paystub, so the figures could be different now but I see it is listed as $163 for family plan and another $16 for dental family plan whch I assume the latter is under HDS, another insurance plan.

                        Oh, another thing I just thought of perhaps our family plan rates are locked in as part of the union contract's for DOE employees, I don't know what your employer is but perhaps it is higher because you are with someone else??

                        Just guessing. And again I need to check out a current paystub to see if rates have gone up in the last several months, which I would not be surprised one bit. Over the years my wife has complained about the insurance rates, when she was single they were really cheap and they have gone up, but I told her to cover a family of 5 I did not think they were outrageous, but I do not like premium rates going up and salary's remaining status quo, this I don't think is fair. Which is why I complained that when they raise the premiums, the salaries go up but it evens itself out which again I don't think is fair. You get paid more, but yet you have to pay more for insurance which you really have to have, especially if you have children like we do.

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                        • #13
                          Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

                          Originally posted by Kalihiboy View Post
                          $1,160 a MONTH??? You got to be kidding!! As for my $200 a month figure it was a rough estimate and forgive me but right now I'm looking at a July 2009 paystub, so the figures could be different now but I see it is listed as $163 for family plan and another $16 for dental family plan whch I assume the latter is under HDS, another insurance plan.

                          Oh, another thing I just thought of perhaps our family plan rates are locked in as part of the union contract's for DOE employees, I don't know what your employer is but perhaps it is higher because you are with someone else??
                          I work for the state, but not DOE.
                          Originally posted by Kalihiboy View Post
                          Just guessing. And again I need to check out a current paystub to see if rates have gone up in the last several months, which I would not be surprised one bit. Over the years my wife has complained about the insurance rates, when she was single they were really cheap and they have gone up, but I told her to cover a family of 5 I did not think they were outrageous, but I do not like premium rates going up and salary's remaining status quo, this I don't think is fair. Which is why I complained that when they raise the premiums, the salaries go up but it evens itself out which again I don't think is fair. You get paid more, but yet you have to pay more for insurance which you really have to have, especially if you have children like we do.
                          Salary remaining status quo? Salaries go up? Not in my workplace. Doesn't the furlough (8% decrease in salary) affect DOE as well? The double whammy of the furlough and increase in premiums has taken a toll in my paycheck.

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                          • #14
                            Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

                            KalihiBoy - if you're paying $200 per month thru your payroll, that means your policy probably costs your employer $2000 per month. If I recall from my HR days - they are only allowed to withhold 1% of the total premium from your paycheck. Of course, that may have increased by now. I haven't done that type of payroll work for a few years now. The balance of the premium is then covered by the employer. I'm very blessed because my current employer pays the entire cost each month. It's very generous of them and truly is appreciated. Otherwise, I would be one of the large number on uninsured!

                            One way to save on insurance is to have the HMO type policy as opposed to the Preferred Provider option. There is a major difference in costs between the 2 kinds of coverage.
                            Last edited by anapuni808; November 15, 2009, 02:18 PM.
                            "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
                            – Sydney J. Harris

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: HMSA Rates Going Up Again

                              Originally posted by anapuni808 View Post
                              KalihiBoy - if you're paying $200 per month thru your payroll, that means your policy probably costs your employer $2000 per month. If I recall from my HR days - they are only allowed to withhold 1% of the total premium from your paycheck. Of course, that may have increased by now. [...]
                              In the example above, anapuni, that's 10%. Or am I misreading sumthin'?

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